Clothesline tightener



Oct. 2s. 1924. LSm 1 H. A. col-IRS l CLOTHSLINE TIGHTENER Filed June 3, 1922 Patented @on 28, i924.

ilhiip'il@ HENRY A. COHRS, OF DOVBAY, EQ'XINNESOTA.

CLOTHESLINE TEGHTENER.

Application filed June 3,

To all whom t may concern.:

it known that l, Hanni' A. Cortas, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dd vray, in the county ci li'iurray and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful ln'iprovements in Clothesline Tighteners; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make antL use the same.

This invention relates to a clothesline rack of the type comprising spaced members having the clotheslines extending therebetween and having supporting and reeling means for the lines on said members. Such vraclis are now commonly employed in city yards and usually are left exposed to the weather.

it is an object of this invention to provide a simple and eilicient supporting and winding and tightening means for the clothesline.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide a very efficient structure of reel and holding device therefor adapted to support the line.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the diiferent views, and in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the rack;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of one end of one of the supporting members shown on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a plan View of the turning means used with the rack; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section thereof taken on the line. 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the rack comprises two upright posts 1 having cross members 2 and 3, respectively, at their upper ends. On the top of the cross member 2 are rotatably supported a plurality of horizontally disposed small pulleys 4. The member is formed at both its ends with projecting cylindrical portions or pintles 5 and reel members 6 are rotatably secured thereon. A

1822. Serial N0. 565,632.

collar member 7 is disposed at one side of each of the reels (iand secured in fixed position on member 5 by a` suitable set screw and acts to prevent lateral movement of member- 6. Thel member 6 is provided with lateral tianges 6a, one flange having laterally projecting from its outer side ratchet teeth 8. Certain of these teeth 9 shown 'as three in number equally spaced circumferentially, are elongated beyond the circumference of the teeth 8 and form a. rotating means when the reel is adapted to be engaged bya wrench or turning member 10 to be later described. Adjacent the outer side of the reel 6 and the ratchet teeth thereon is loca-ted a split collar 11 suitably clamped to the member 5 and holding' the reel 6 Vin position against colllar 7. This collar 11 has a vertically disposed projection 12 extending from one side thereof to which is pivoted a pawl member 13 having an outwardly extending weight 14 disposed on the opposite side` of its piuot. The wrench 10 is made of a flat bar having a curved end provided with a notch 15 having a. j aw adapted to engage one of the teeth 9. The wrench is in the form of a spanner wrench and the curved inner side thereof bears against the circumference of the ratchet teeth 8.

The member 3 has eye bolts secured therein in aline-ment with certain of the pulleys 4 and the clotheslines 16 are secured to; these bolts and pass over the pulleys 4 having their other ends secured to the reels 6 which are provided with holes 17 in one of their iianges for the reception of said ends.

From the described structure it is obvious that the pawl 13 will automatically drop into engagement with the ratchet teeth 8 and that the said ratchet teeth and reel may be rotated as desired to tighten the line by manipulation of the wrench 10. lf desired, a greater number of pulleys 4 could be used and the line passed around the same to form a greater number of strands between the members 1. It is apparent that applicant has provided a simple and efficient line supporting and tightening means. The device can be easily and inexpensively made from castings designed to withstand the weather, and the device is always in operative condition.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants. in-

teeth by gravity, certain ot said teeth being equally spaced and projectedy to c'rrn turningnieans for said reel and adapted t0 be turned by a spanner wrench.

2. A' clothesline structure comprising a reel for tigghtening` the line, said reel havingA spaced flanges, laterally projecting ratchet teeth on cneyoit said flanges, certain of said teeth being' equally spaced circnmferentially, and radially elongated to form a rotating means for said reel.

In testimony whereof l afl-ix iny signature.

HENRY A. COHRS. 

